Extensible Forms Description Language

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Extensible Forms Description Language
File name extension .xfdl
Internet media type application/xml, text/xml (deprecated)
Uniform Type Identifier public.xml
Developed by World Wide Web Consortium
Type of format Markup language


Extensible Forms Description Language (XFDL) is a class of the Extensible Markup Language (XML) specified in World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) NOTE-XFDL-19980902, Extensible Forms Description Language (XFDL) 4.0, September 2, 1998. XFDL is a high-level computer language that facilitates defining a form as a single, stand-alone object using XML elements and attributes. It offers precise control over form layout, permitting replacement of existing business/government forms in a human-readable, open standard.

In addition to providing a syntax for in-line mathematical and conditional expressions, it allows the creator to include custom items, options, and external code functions.

XFDL not only supports multiple digital signatures, but the signatures can apply to specific sections of a form and prevent changes to signed content.

These advantages to XFDL have led large organizations such as the United States Army to migrate from forms in other formats to XFDL.

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[edit] Specifications

[edit] Editors

See XML editor for editors and other editing tools.